Clutch-shifting mechanism



April 27 i926.

H. L. BLOOD CLUTCH SHIFT'I'NG macngmsm Original Filed March 29, 1921 INVENTQR ATTORNEY 2 Nth E3 STATE Patented HAROLD L. BLOOD, OF NORTH PLAIIIFIELD, NEW. JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO NILES-BE- MENT-POND COMIANY, OF NEW' YQRK, N. COEPQEATION F CLUTQH-SHIFTIIIG MECHANISM.

Original application filed March 29, 1921, Serial No. 923. Serial To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAROLD L. BLoon, a citizen of the United States, residing at North Plainfield, in the county of Somerset 5 and State of New Jersey, haveinvented oertain new and useful Improvements in Clutch-Shifting Mechanism, of which the followingis a specification.

This application is a division of my Patent No. 1,487,712 granted March 25, 1924 for feed mechanism for planers, and the invention herein relates particularly to an improved clutch shifting means which is particularly useful in such tool feeding mechanism.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved and simple clutch shifting mechanism adapted to yieldingly engage a clutch with its driver and to positively disengage the same therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clutch shifting mechanism including a rotary element provided with" spring pressed means therein adapted to be compressed when the member is rotatedto engage the clutch with its driver and to operate thereafter to yieldingly engage the clutch. Since the spring operates to automatically engage the clutch when the teeth thereon come into the engaging position, the operator is only required to throw the clutch shifting mechanism, the engaging operation being automatically performed by the spring. 'A. further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of the above type wherein a single spring pressed mechanism 7 operates either to hold the clutch in its neutral positionbetween a pair of driving elements-or to yieldingly engage the same with either of such elements.

With the above and other objects in View, my invention consists in the features of construction and operation set forth in the fol lowing specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing. In such drawing annexed hereto and forming a partof this specification, I have shown one embodiment of my invention but it will be understood that the invention can be otherwise embodied and that the drawingis not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope ofthe invention, the claims appended to this specification being relied upon for that purpose I Ill:

456,545. Divided and this application filed. April 6, no. 680,300.

Referring to the figures of the drawing: F1gure 1 IS a fragmentary plan sectional view of a planer tool feeding mechanism embodying my invention, such view being taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is an end elevation'thereof partly 1n section. v

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of my improved clutch shifting mecha nism taken approximately on line 3-58 of Fig. 4.

Fig. l'is an inner face view thereof lVhile my invention is herein shown in connection with a planer tool feeding mechanism and is particularly useful in such mechanism, it should be understood that the same is in no way limited to such use. In such mechanism, provision must be made for both feeding and traversing the tools both horizontally and-vertically. To obtain such movements, a plurality of clutches are ordinarily required. Because of the number of clutches required and the limited space-provided, it is essential that such clutches be as simple and compact as possible and also operate in a simple manner.

In the construction illustrated, eachclutch is provided with anovel rotary clutch shifting member. of simple design. Each of such members is provided with a block slidabie therein and pivotally connected to the clutch, preferably through a. second block extending into the clutch groove as illustrated. A spring normally forces the block outwardly of the member into engagement with a stop pin. The spring pressed mechanism performs .various useful functions. When the. clutch is in neutral, the expansion of the spring operates to hold the clutch in such position. When the clutch shifting member is rotated, the spring is compressed and operates to yieldingly engage the clutch. The ope ator is therefore onlyrequired to throw the member to the clutch engaging position and the spring automatically performs the engaging operation when the clutch teeth come into the meshing position. The member furtl'iermore acts positively to withdraw the clutch when disengaging the same. 4 I H In the drawing", l indi'cates the cross rail of planer adapted to slidably supports plurality tool heads thereon as shown in my before-n1.entiened applieatiarn The tool to theretore traverse the tools continuousl'='.

heads are adapted to be moved along the cross rail by means of screw shafts 2 and the tools may be moved vertically by means of a feed shatt 3 in the usual manner. Loosely mounted on each shaft are two gears st and 5. Gear 4 is adapted to be oscillated by a gear segment -'i-" and to themtore teed the tools intermittently and gear 5 is adapted to e rotated by a gear and A clutch member (3 splined on each shaft between the gears i and 5 is adapted to be engaged with either gear by means of cooperating clutch teeth on such elements.

Rotatably mounted on the housing 7 adjacent each clutch member is a rotary menu her 8 provided with a diametrically extend ing guideway 9 therein. Slidably mounted in the guideway is a block it) counterbored at 11. .1; compression spring 12 extending into this counter-bore and bearing against a block 13 secured to the member at one end of the guideway, normally forces the biocl-t 1O outwardly. A. pin 1 limits theoutward movement of the blocl; i0. Integral on the inner face of block is a pin 15 on which is seated a block 16 en aging in the groove 17 of the clutch member. The clutch member is thereby pivotally connected to the block 10.

Each clutch shifting member 8 is provided with a shank 18 extending through the housing 7 and having an operating handle 19 on its outer end. The members 8 may be ro tated irom such handles when shifting the clutches. A pair of steps 20 and 91 are providedtor limiting the rotation of each member. It will be noted that the stops are adapted to be engaged by, the block 13. Mountedin each member 8 is a spring-pressed ball 22 adapted to engage in any one of three depressions 2, 2i and 25. Engagement of the ball in depression 23 assists in holding the clutch in its neutral position. lVhen the member 8 is rotated to engage its block 13 with the stop 20, the ball engages in the depression Z-t and holds the memher in such position. Likewise when the member 8 is rotated to engage its block 13 with the stop 21. the ball engages in the depression Q5 and holds the member in such position.

The operation otthe mechanism is as tollorfs: In 11 views of the drawing,the clutch is shown in the neutral position. In such tion the spring 1:? is expanded and the p itting parts assume the relative positions shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Since movement of the clutch member in either direction "from the neutral position requires the compression of the spring, he clutch member will normally remain in the neutral position. In such position, it will be noted that the guideway 9 extends in a vertical direction. lVhen it is desired to engage the way Dwill he in a horizontal position. Th

member is held in such position by means oi the ball 22 engaging in one or the other oi depressions 2-1 and 25 as above state The rotation of the men'ibcr S conipre. the

spring 12. The expansion of the spring to automatically engage the clutch member with the gear when their cooperatnr ('iiitrh teeth come into registry. The operator r therefore only required to throw the clutch shitting member 8 and is not required to hold such member until the clutch maps int engagement. If desired, the operator may throw the clutch feeding members while the mechanism is at rest and when the me'rhanism starts to operate the clutches will automatically snap into engagement. It will be understood that such mechanism is particularly usci'ul where a plurality of clut hes are employed, as in the tool t'eei'iing "nu-"hanism illustrated.

ll'hat I claim is:

'1. A clutch shitting mechanism comprising the combination of a rotary body pow tron, a member slidably mounted therein, a spring normally forcing the member in one direction, and a clutch engaging element connected to the member and adapted when the body portion is rotated in one direction to yieldingly engage'the clutch element with its driver.

A clutch shifting mechanism comprising the combination of a rotary body portion having a radially extending guideway therein, a member slidably mounted in the guideway, spring means normally forcing the iren'iber outwardly, and a clutch engaging element pivoted to the member and adapted when the body portion is rotated in one di rection to yieldingly engage 'the clutch element with its driver.

A clutch shitting mechanism comprising the combination of arotary body portion having a radially extending guideway therein, a member slidahly mounted in the guideway. spring means normally forcing the member outwardly, means limiting the outward movement of the member, and a clutch engaging element c nnected to the member and adapted when the body portion is re tated in one direction to yieldingly engage .theclutch element with its driver.

4. In combination, a clutch member on a shaft between two driving elements and adapted by a moven'ient in one direction or the other to respectively engage the elements with the shaft, a rotary member adjacent the clutch member, a block slidable therein and connected to the clutch member, and a spring normallyoperative to force the block in one direction in the member, the construction being such that the spring operates to yieldingly force the clutch member in the said one direction or the other.

In combination, a clutch member on a shaft between two gears, the clutch member serving to connect either gear with the shaft, a rotary member adjacent the clutch memher, a block slidable therein and connected' to the clutch member, and a spring normally operative to force the block outwardly, the construction being such that in one position of the member the spring engages the clutch member with one gear and in another position of the member the spring engagesthe clutch member with the other gear.

6. In combination, a clutch member mounted on a shaft between two elements, a rotary member adjacent the clutchmember and having a radially extending guideway therein, a block slidable in the guideway, a spring normally urging the block radially outward, and a block pivoted to the first said block and engaging in agroove in the clutch member, the construction being such that as the rotary member is rotatedone way or the other from a neutral position the spring is compressed and operates to engage the clutch member with one or the other respectively of the said elements. 7

7. In combination, a shaft, a gear loosely mounted thereon, a clutch member on the shaft adjacent the gear, a rotary member adjacent the clutch member, a block slidable therein and connected to the clutch member, and a spring normally operative to force the v block outwardly of the member, the construction being such that with the clutch member in its neutral position the expanded spring operates to hold the clutch member in such position and when the member is 1'0- tated the spring is compressed and operates to engage the clutch member with the gear.

8. In combination, a clutch member mounted on a shaft between two gears, a rotary member adjacent the clutch member, a block slidable therein, a block pivoted to the first named blockand engaging in a groove in the clutch member, and a spring normally operative to force the first named block outwardly of the member, the construction being such that, with the clutch member in its neutral position, the expanded spring operates to hold the clutch member in such position between the elements and when the member is rotated one way or the otherthe spring is compressed and operates to engage the clutch member with one or the other of the gears.

,9. In combination, a clutch member mounted on a shaft between two gears, a rotary member adjacent the clutch member, a blockslidable therein, a pivotal connection between the block and clutch member, and a spring normally operative to force the block outwardly of the member, the construction being-such that rotation of the member operates to yieldingly engage the clutch member with the gears or to positively withdraw the same from engagement therewith.

In testimony whereof, 1 hereto affix my signature.

HAROLD L. BLOOD. 

